The UFC returns with UFC 324, its debut event on Paramount+. UFC 324 is taking place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, with the Main Card starting at 9:00 p.m. ET, one hour earlier than the usual start time. Former Interim and BMF Champion Justin “The Highlight” Gaethje is back to take on No. 5 Paddy “The Baddy” Pimblett in the Main Event for the Interim Lightweight title.
On DraftKings Sportsbook, Pimblett is a -238 favorite in the Main Event while Gaethje is a +195 underdog. In the co-main event, O’Malley is -218, while Yadong is +180.
12:35 a.m. ET: Justin Gaethje defeats Paddy Pimblett by unanimous decision (48-47, 49-46, 49-46)
Justin Gaethje beat Paddy Pimblett by unanimous decision to become a two-time UFC Interim Lightweight Champion. Gaethje has now won four of his previous five bouts. A fight between Ilia Topuria and Gaethje is likely to take place later this year.
Pimblett landed 156 significant strikes in this contest, compared to Gaethje’s 144. The new Interim title holder also finished with 5:55 of control time in this fight with three takedowns. This is Pimblett’s first loss since 2018 and first defeat in the UFC.
12:32 a.m. ET: Gaethje vs. Pimblett – Round 5
In the final minute of the fight, Pimblett got the better of Gaethje and outstruck him in the fifth round. Both fighters gave it their all in the final round of the fight.
10-9 Pimblett, 48-47 Gaethje
12:24 a.m. ET: Gaethje vs. Pimblett – Round 4
Gaethje was much more efficient at the start of the fourth round. Pimblett showed his toughness and heart once again in this round after Gaethje landed massive punches. The damage was showing as Pimblett was bleeding from his nose and mouth.
10-9, 39-36 Gaethje
12:17 a.m. ET: Gaethje vs. Pimblett – Round 3
After getting knocked down, Pimblett looked much better in the third round. Pimblett had a higher output in this round and landed significant punches on Gaethje.
The odds have shifted as Pimblett is now a -298 favorite with Gaethje being a +220 underdog.
10-9 Pimblett, 29-27 Gaethje
12:11 a.m. ET: Gaethje vs. Pimblett – Round 2
Gaethje tried a submission, but Pimblett got the fight back to the feet. Overall, Gaethje has now scored two takedowns in this fight. With under a minute left, Gaethje knocked Pimblett down again and started landing devastating ground and pound punches.
On DraftKings Sportsbook, Gaethje is a -620 while Pimblett is a +400 underdog.
10-9, 20-18 Gaethje
12:05 a.m. ET: Gaethje vs. Pimblett – Round 1
Pimblett landed more punches early, but Gaethje responded and kept moving forward. Pimblett was badly hurt and got knocked down two minutes into the fight. With one minute left in the round, Gaethje poked Pimblett in the eye. But Pimblett was okay to continue fighting.
10-9 Gaethje
11:38 p.m. ET: Sean O’Malley defeats Song Yadong via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
For the first time in nearly two years, Sean O’Malley won a fight, defeating Song Yadong via unanimous decison. O’Malley finished the fight with 48 significant strikes, 12 more than Yadong.
O’Malley was +100 before the contest to win via decision on DraftKings Sportsbook. O’Malley is now 9-3 in his UFC career.
Up next: Justin Gaethje vs. Paddy Pimblett
11:32 p.m. ET: O’Malley vs. Yadong – Round 3
O’Malley landed a few big punches in the first minute of the third round. The former champion was moving on the outside while landing punches on Yadong. Yadong started to bleed after O’Malley continued to land big strikes.
10-9, 29-28 O’Malley
11:26 p.m. ET: O’Malley vs. Yadong – Round 2
Yadong began the round with a low kick and continued to injure O’Malley’s legs. Two minutes into the round, Yadong landed another takedown, but O’Malley got back to his feet. Eventually, Yadong got O’Malley to the ground, but once again couldn’t hold him down. Yadong now has 2:06 of control time entering the final round.
10-9 Yadong, 19-19
11:20 p.m. ET: O’Malley vs. Yadong – Round 1
Sean O’Malley did a good job of landing punches and moving around the cage. But Yadong moved quickly and tried to keep O’Malley guessing throughout the round. Yadong and O’Malley both landed a bunch of leg kicks in the first. Yadong landed a takedown in the last minute, but didn’t do enough throughout the round. O’Malley landed four more significant strikes than Yadong.
10-9 O’Malley
10:57 p.m. ET: Waldo Cortes-Acosta defeats Derrick Lewis via second-round KO/TKO
Cortes-Acosta landed a big punch a minute into the second round, but Lewis still moved forward. Lewis slipped, and then Cortes-Acosta unloaded a ton of ground and pound punches to win the fight. This is Cortes-Acosta’s third consecutive win by KO/TKO, and he has won seven of his previous eight fights.
On DraftKings Sportsbook, Cortes-Acosta was +450 to win by KO/TKO/DQ in the second round before the contest.
Up next: Sean O’Malley vs. Song Yadong
10:48 p.m. ET: Cortes-Acosta vs. Lewis – Round 1
Lewis and Cortes-Acosta both weren’t aggressive in the first round. Cortes-Acosta was the more active fighter, as Lewis didn’t move around much. Cortes-Acosta landed five more significant strikes than Lewis did in the first round.
10-9 Cortes-Acosta
10:31 p.m. ET: Natalia Silva defeats Rose Namajunas via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Natalia Silva beat Rose Namajunas by unanimous decison and her win streak increases to 14. This is the third former champion Silva has defeated, after beating Jessica Andrade, Alexa Grasso, and now Namajunas.
Silva finished with 51 significant strikes, 25 more than Namajunas. Also, Silva totaled 1:24 of control time while landing one takedown. Before the fight, Silva was -235 to win by decision on DraftKings Sportsbook.
Up next: Waldo Cortes-Acosta vs. Derrick Lewis
10:25 p.m. ET: Silva vs. Namajunas – Round 3
Silva was more active in this round and used a ton of leg kicks. Namajunas displayed elite defense, moving her head and not taking a ton of big punches. Silva landed a takedown in the final minute of the fight to win the round.
10-9 Silva, 29-28 Namajunas
10:19 p.m. ET: Silva vs. Namajunas – Round 2
This was another close round, but the difference was Namajunas landing a takedown while having 2:09 of control time. Once again, Silva just didn’t do enough to win the round.
10-9, 20-18 Namajunas
10:13 p.m. ET: Silva vs. Namajunas – Round 1
After a slow start, Silva and Namajunas began landing a few punches, but neither fighter connected on anything significant. Namajunas finished the round outlanding Silva 15-13 in significant strikes.
10-9 Namajunas
9:54 p.m. ET: Jean Silva defeats Arnold Allen via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Jean Silva defeated Arnold Allen by unanimous decison and has won his first fight by decison since September 2023. Silva landed 22 more significant strikes than Allen, while landing four of six takedown attempts. Silva is now 6-1 in the UFC.
Before the fight, Silva was +200 to win this contest by decision on DraftKings Sportsbook.
Up next: Natalia Silva vs. Rose Namajunas
9:49 p.m. ET: Allen vs. Silva – Round 3
Silva continued to land huge punches, but Allen bounced back once again. Allen attempted a takedown but was unable to complete it. Then Silva scored two takedowns on Allen. This was a close round, but Silva landed more damage.
10-9, 29-28 Silva
9:43 p.m. ET: Allen vs. Silva – Round 2
Silva started the second round more comfortably and began landing more efficiently. Silva landed a takedown, but Allen got right back to his feet. Allen began to land big strikes at the end of the round, but this was Silva’s round.
10-9 Silva, 19-19
9:37 p.m. ET: Allen vs. Silva – Round 1
This fight started slowly as Allen and Silva felt each other out for the first two minutes. Allen picked up the pace and began to land the more effective strikes in the first round. Silva landed a nice combination late, but I still give the first round to Allen.
10-9 Allen
9:19 p.m. ET: Bruce Buffer begins the new era!
After the UFC aired a video highlighting the storied past of the promotion, Bruce Buffer hyped up the crowd in the center of the Octagon.
8:59 p.m. ET: Dominick Cruz to be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame
On the UFC Broadcast, the promotion announced that former two-time Bantamweight Champion Dominick Cruz will be inducted into the 2026 UFC Hall of Fame class.
Main card
UFC Interim Lightweight Championship: #4 Justin Gaethje vs. #5 Paddy Pimblett
Bantamweight Bout: #3 Sean O’Malley vs. #5 Song Yadong
Heavyweight Bout: #5 Waldo Cortes-Acosta vs. #8 Derrick Lewis
Women’s Flyweight Bout: #2 Natalia Silva vs. #6 Rose Namajunas
Featherweight Bout: #6 Arnold Allen vs. #10 Jean Silva
Prelims
Umar Nurmagomedov def. Deiveson Figueiredo via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Ateba Gautier def. Andrey Pulyaev via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Nikita Krylov def. Modestas Bukauskas via third-round KO/TKO
Alex Perez def. Charles Johnson via first-round KO/TKO
Early prelims
Josh Hokit def. Denzel Freeman via first-round KO/TKO
Ty Miller def. Adam Fugitt via first-round KO/TKO
